Nate
by RavenWolf2089
Summary: When Puck picks up the pieces from Finn's massive mistake he has no regrets, but what happens when Finn returns? Multi-Chapter
1. Chapter 1

Nate

When Rachel got pregnant in her final year of high school she thought that it would be difficult but she would make it through, unlike Quinn she had not cheated on her boyfriend and was in a long term committed relationship to the father. Yes it was the same boy who had Quinn had cheated on but their relationship was so much more stable, so much more. At least Rachel had thought so.

"_You're fucking what?" Finn demanded jumping to his feet from his place on the Berry sofa "no we used protection!"_

"_I know but even condoms are not 100% perfect and it is obvious that it split or we did not put it on in time" Rachel shrugged helplessly as she watched Finn pace his anger worrying he, her fathers had not taken it this badly. _

"_How the fuck could you let this happen!" Finn suddenly screamed turning to Rachel and bearing down on her as she jumped to her feet and backed away quickly in fear, his face was twisted in anger his mouth a sneer as he stared down at her in disgust "you know that I worked my ass off to get that football scholarship to Boise State and you're trying to tie me down with a fucking baby?"_

"_I'm sorry but I have equally worked my rear off to earn numerous scholarships and funding to attend Tisch in New York!" Rachel screamed back jabbing Finn in the chest to make him step back as he got closer "so I could just as easily say this is your way of making sure that I fail to reach my potential and that I dedicate yet more if my life to you and only you"_

"_Like I would want you after high school" Finn sneered "you were just going to be useful in the holidays"_

"_We talked about college and you said you wanted to stay together" Rachel said tears springing to her eyes "you were planning on cheating on me for the three years?"_

"_Well yeah" Finn shrugged like it was obvious "I'm a celebrity here I'm going to be there"_

"_Was I going to be allowed to cheat on you?" Rachel asked anger lacing her tone her eyes flashing in warning_

"_You better fucking not, you cheat on me Rachel..." he growled at her "as for the baby, well I think it would be good for both of us if you..."_

"_You're talking in the present tense" Rachel said through gritted teeth "'cheat' that ship has long sailed"_

"_You cheated on me?" Finn yelled "again!"_

"_No our relationship is over, so I cannot cheat on you" Rachel screamed back "as for your very delicate attempt at saying that I should terminate the pregnancy that is not happening!"_

"_Well I am not sticking around to help" Finn threatened "if you want to stay in a relationship you are going to listen to what I say and get rid of that thing" he pointed at her stomach._

"_Get out of my house" Rachel said grimly staring him down, their raised voices having brought her fathers who had waited in the kitchen to the room "you do not want anything to do with your child then you won't be, leave and never return"_

"_Leave" Hiram Berry yelled as Finn stayed where he was standing looming over Rachel who held a hand to her still flat stomach protectively but almost absent-mindedly "you are no longer welcome in our home" _

_Rachel stared down Finn until he finally snapped and walked out of the front door, it's slamming behind him a cue to the emotionally broken Rachel to finally let go of her anger and tears._

"_Oh darling" Hiram and Leroy cried running to their daughter who crumpled onto the floor in front of the fireplace "is there anything we can do?" Leroy asked as he smoothed back Rachel's hair._

"_Noah" Rachel gasped out wrapping arms around herself trying to hold in the pain and herself together as she cried out for her best friend, the one she knew wouldn't hurt her, judge her, abandon her._

"Morning baby" Puck groaned pulling his fiancé closer as one arm twisted to smack the off button on the top of the alarm clock, groaning as she moaned and snuggled into his chest and rubbed her nose against him sleepily."Time to get up!" he sing sung into her ear using on hand to brush back her hair and press a kiss to her forehead until she looked up at him, her eyes half lidded with sleep still so he could press a kiss to her lips.

"It is morning" she agreed grumpily with a ridiculously cute pout, kissing him again she rolled out of his hold and pushed back the covers to go to their en-suite as the bedroom door burst open and her son took a running jump onto the bed.

"Daddy!" the five year old screamed as he landed on his father who grunted in shock and playfully scowled at the young boy who giggled and let himself be tickled as his mother returned.

"My two boys" Rachel smiled happily as she climbed back into bed next to them and let herself be folded into their hold.

"I start school today Mommy" Nate said with a big smile up at his mother who nodded happily at him and pressed a kiss to his head "but that does mean no more Bubbie"

"Only during the day you will still see Bubbie" Rachel promised her son for the millionth time "sometimes after school when Mommy and Daddy are still working and on weekends with Zadie's"

"Ok then" Nate said a little sadly before hugging her as she left the bed again to go and get a shower. "Daddy?" Nate questioned looking up at his quiet father who had been reading through emails on his Blackberry as the two talked.

"Yeah bud?" he asked making sure he put his phone down to look at the young boy.

"I'm scared" Nate whispered at him his eyes widened in fear and worry for admitting it.

"Why?" Puck asked in shock putting the phone down and turning his son to sit on his lap and look him in the eye.

"What if I don't make any friends and the others don't like me?"

"Not gonna happen, you are awesome! And everyone in that school is going to realise that" Puck promised the worried boy "and me and Mommy are both going to take you and make sure everything is ok before we drop you off"

"Promise?"

"Promise" Puck said pressing a kiss to Nate's head before helping him off the bed and ordering him to go get dressed and ready to go.

"Is he ok?" Rachel asked worriedly as Puck came to join her in the bathroom him turning on the shower as Rachel brushed her teeth at the sink.

"Simply scared, but I promised him we would be there for him"

"As you have been there for me always" Rachel spat out her toothpaste before she smiled at him through the mirror.

"And I always will be" Puck said lifting her hand and pressing a kiss to the ring he had slid onto her left ring finger only a few months ago, kissing her firmly he stripped off and got into the shower as Rachel went to get dressed.

_The minute he had walked through the Berry front door Puck had known something was wrong by the sight of his best friend on her knees with her father's on either side of her tears running freely down her face. Using a move that had become second nature to him over the years Noah swept in picked Rachel up and smothered her in him, his entire being around her kisses pressed to every inch of her skin that he could see and get to._

_Through halting breaths and hitches of breath with numerous pauses he had gotten the story put of her, Hiram and Leroy leaving them alone._

"_I'm alone" Rachel sobbed into his neck._

"_No you're not" Puck said emphatically, still reeling from the knowledge that the girl he was in love with was pregnant by Finn and other than wanting to kill Finn it didn't affect his feelings at all. He still loved her, he still wanted to have her in every way possible, and the pregnancy changed nothing. "You have me, you will always have me. I am going to help you raise this baby" he said pressing a hand to her stomach "we are going to go to New York and achieve everything you ever wanted and dreamed while raising the most amazing child ever. And it will be amazing cos it will have you as a mother"_

"_Yes? You are going to help me?"_

"_I always will. I shouldn't have to tell you that"_

Obviously their relationship had changed since that day but he had kept his promise, he had always been there and always would as her husband, raising Nate as his own had also not been difficult he was amazing and Puck had loved him since he had first felt him kick in Rachel's stomach.

Opening the front door of their building Rachel fussed with Nate's coat not registering that there was a man waiting on the sidewalk looking at the both of them, Puck seeing him as he approached his fiancé and son.

"You got a nerve" Puck spat out to both of their surprise Nate and Rachel turning to look at him before where he was looking.

"Finn?" Rachel said slowly straightening up and stepping in front of Nate who craned his head to look at both of his parents and the man that had made them so angry.

"Hello Rachel"


	2. Chapter 2

Nate 2

Swooping down before Finn could see the young boy Puck picked Nate up and turned his head away from the tall man whose gaze had not left Rachel's eyes, not even to look at his son.

"School time" Rachel said firmly looking away and turning back to her family "come on Nate, time for school" pushing past her ex roughly Rachel led the way from the building and down the sidewalk towards the school they had picked for Nate.

"Baby?" Puck questioned as she came to a stop further down the road letting Nate slip from his place on Puck's hip to stand on his own feet "is? Are?..."

"I love you" Rachel said stepping close and pressing a kiss to his lips quickly "only you"

Standing on the sidewalk they made quite a picture as a family, Rachel and Puck kissing as their son looked up at them in happiness rather than then revulsion which would be expected from a five year old boy.

"We need to talk but I love you too" Puck said stroking her cheek with one hand while the other reached out to hold Nate's hand.

The worry lifted from her shoulders Rachel sighed in relief and leaned into the kiss more before pulling back and crouching down to her sons level "I'm sorry Sweetheart that was a mean man from mommy's past and I got upset but he doesn't matter anymore"

"Promise?"

"Promise, all that matters to me is you and your Daddy and right now we are going to take you to school to make sure that you have a fantastic day"

Standing back up she kissed her fiancé once more and took her sons other hand to walk him down the sidewalk both adults swinging the little boy between them to make him laugh and giggle, distracting him from his fear of going to school. Watching him as he got quieter and quieter as they approached the school gates, Rachel restrained herself from picking him up and carrying him away from what was scaring him her maternal instincts screaming at her to protect him.

"You can do this" Puck murmured to her as they entered the gates, Nate between them quiet as he gazed around at the children and tall buildings around him in fear.

"I think he is worse than me" Rachel said as they waited for one of the teachers to approach them both parents watching their son with understanding smiles.

"Like his mom then" Puck grinned slipping an arm around her reassuringly "a bit of a stress head"

"And like his father in that he will make many friends, so I shouldn't really be worried" Rachel added looking up at him with adoration leaving no doubt as to which person she was referring to as Nate's father.

Grinning at her and pressing another kiss to her head before the teacher called from the top of the steps for the parents to bring their children to the classrooms the welcome pack had told them about. Smiling in pride as Nate refused to hold their hands again and marched in front of them following everyone else, his constant looks behind the only hint of nervousness, Puck led Rachel after him and towards the classroom.

"Hello parents" Miss Pritchard said happily from the classroom "now children I want you to hug your parent's goodbye and find seats at the tables around the room"

Hugging Nate tightly Rachel and Puck stepped back out of his sight so that they couldn't see him as he faced the teacher.

"Now all we are going to do today is get to know each other and make friends, your parents will be here to pick you up at 3.30 sharp"

Quickly dismissed Rachel and Puck left together surprised at how difficult it was to leave their son behind despite how important they knew it was for him to go and learn.

"This is tough" Rachel moaned leaning into Puck who nodded knowing that it was difficult for Rachel to let go of her son normally let alone when he might be upset, for the last five years she had stopped everything at the drop of the hat to make sure Nathanial was ok, and she always would.

"It will get easier babe" Puck promised her as they headed down the road "and you know he is going to love it"

"I know" Rachel nodded leaning her head on his shoulder as they walked down the street "just going to miss being able to see him whenever I want"

"You and my mom" Puck laughed "I am going to miss it as well moms is right next to the station house and my breaks were spent with him most days, boys are going to miss him as well"

Rachel smiled up at him as they approached their building, happy that the sidewalk was now empty of the tall lumbering man they headed up to their apartment quickly.

"So I guess we should talk" Rachel said quietly as the door closed behind them with a soft thud the distraction taking Nate to school had been breaking.

"Yeah" Puck moaned sitting down next to his fiancé and reaching for her hand tangling their fingers together "so..."

"You are afraid of something" Rachel said intuitively as he didn't look at her choosing instead to stare at the wall "tell me"

"You are going to go back to him" Puck mumbled jumping as Rachel ripped her hand from his hold and swiftly slapped him across the face in anger. "Fuck Rach" he moaned putting his hand up to cheek.

"How dare you think that?" Rachel asked in tears "he left me as nothing, he made me feel worthless, and more than that he abandoned me and his child. I do not want him anywhere near me, my son or my family and for you to stand there and assume that I am suddenly going to go running back to him as if I was some weak women that is nothing without a man!"

"No babe..." Puck tried to interrupt

"I am sorry if your memory has suddenly escaped you but maybe you should try and remember how much it took for me to trust you! To have a romantic relationship with you! And you were my best friend who had done nothing to hurt me and I was hesitant, so for you to just assume that I would go running to Finn Hudson who personally makes me so mad I cannot even describe! Well it shows how little you actually know me!"

"Babe no, I do know you" Puck tired to backtrack a banging at the door halting his advance on Rachel who was standing with her arms wrapped around herself again staring out of the window "babe I love you and it was just a momentary thing" he begged as he headed over to the door to wrench it open "What!" he yelled as he did.

"Trouble in paradise?" Finn snapped angrily still shaken from seeing Rachel and Puck together earlier as the seemingly perfect picture they were showing.

"Thanks to you" Rachel replied her sorrow at Puck's comments being replaced by anger at this man so cavalierly walking back into her life after destroying it only five short years ago "what the hell do you think you are doing walking back into my life? Into our lives? You do not have that right Finn Hudson!"

"You're mine and that boy is my son, I have every right" Finn blustered

"'that boy' you do not even know his name! And I certainly don't belong to you! The only person I even remotely belong to other than my son is Noah"

"The same Noah you are fighting with" Finn reminded her

"That's part of being in a relationship! You have a disagreement you fight you make up and more than that you learn to address and rectify the problems, me and Noah know that it is not the end of our relationship to have a fight. I love him he loves me he is the father of my son and more than that he is going to be my husband! So why don't you go back to whatever hole you crawled out of, because to be quite frank the only time I have ever 'needed' you was five years ago and thanks to Noah I moved past that momentary lapse of judgement!"

"In other words get out of our house and stay away from our family!" Noah yelled grabbing Finn's shoulder and pulling him out of the apartment to slam the door in his face.

"And if that didn't tell you that Finn Hudson means nothing to me nothing else will" Rachel yelled at Puck "and I'm still mad at you but I want you to come and cuddle me as I cry because I really never wanted him to see him again and he made me feel worthless again"

Nodding but not talking Puck hurried to his fiancé who was already crying bitterly at the window.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N This chapter is dedicated to gleek06216 because it is her birthday. Happy Birthday Ash hope you have a great day :D **

Nate 3

"We..."

"Not yet" Rachel snapped snuggling up to her fiancé more and hiding her face in his chest again as he tried to talk for the fifth time "not yet I do not want to hear about that man yet"

"I know babe" Puck pressed a kiss to her head as they snuggled down in their large bed surrounded by pillows and the duvet pulled up high "but we have to talk about it, now I know I'm Nate's father but..."

"But Finn came back for a reason and with no name on the birth certificate and him knowing I didn't cheat on him he could go to the courts demand a blood test and we cannot get him out of our lives when it is proven he is the biological father"

"You want to do that?" Puck asked carefully trying to keep his tone neutral but unable to think of how much he regretted not having a father in his life, but understanding that their situation was slightly different.

"I want him nowhere near my son or me" Rachel spat out angrily her hatred for Finn ran deep after what he had put her through in the last few months of high school.

_Hoping in the quiet of her heart that Finn had not meant what he had spat out at her on Friday night Rachel walked into school with Puck beside her a silent supporter as always hoping to maybe talk to her ex boyfriend and fix everything. _

_Only to have her heart almost break again when she saw him pinning Quinn to his locker kissing her intently before looking up and sneering at Rachel his new girlfriend doing the same "oh look its Preggers" Quinn laughed loudly everyone turning to stare at who she addressed._

"_Nice work on being less of a bitch" Sam snapped as the hallway exploded in conversation and gossiping around her "seeing as you were pregnant after cheating, and have cheated since I might add, you should stay quiet" _

_Puck busy comforting Rachel who had paled considerably and felt tears spring to her eyes at Quinn's words and Finn's casual nonchalance nodded in respect at Sam and thanks, "you and me are going to have words later Hudson" he threatened sweeping down to pick Rachel up and carried her away._

_After shoving Finn into the lockers Sam followed them quickly Rachel's pale face a worry in her condition "is she ok?" he questioned as Puck settled Rachel across his lap sitting down._

"_I'm not sure" Puck admitted pressing a hand to Rachel's head "B you ok babe?"_

_Nodding weakly Rachel let the tears roll down her face freely as she realised just how difficult the last few months of school were going to be, over the weekend she and Puck had sat down and made a plan of exactly how the next nine months, and the rest of her life were going to go. Seeing as there was only just under three months left in school they had decided to make it easier on Rachel by hiding her pregnancy before the both of them went to New York only with her parents in tow this time._

_Her fathers were understandably upset that she had gotten pregnant but knowing that it was a one in a million fluke and not Rachel's stupidity they had moved onto planning quite quickly, deciding that with nothing tying them to Lima they could move to be with their daughter and help her still achieve her dreams and be a mother._

_Now with the school knowing she knew that school would be hell once again and without her boyfriend and his popularity keeping the others in check it would increase._

"_I'm going to look after you" Puck promised as Rachel cradled her still flat belly, knowing she was second guessing herself._

"_Me too, Quinn's a bitch you cannot let her get to you" Sam said kneeling down next to Rachel and making her look up while he wiped away her tears "it's not safe"_

"_He is right" Puck said making Rachel look at him "it's not safe for the baby for you to be all stressed out by the fucking idiot Finn is and the bitch Quinn is"_

"_I'll try" Rachel promised knowing he was telling the truth about it not being safe for her child to feel her emotions._

"_And we will look after you" Sam promised again helping her to her feet Puck on her other side "and the others are going to support you as well"_

It had been just as difficult as Rachel had thought even with those two on her side no matter what, they had managed to stop the physical attacks through a mixture of physical force and shame, shaming the boys into the fact they were risking a child with their immature actions. But the verbal attacks had no defence and whether Rachel wanted to admit it or not they got to her more than she wanted to admit. With the majority of them coming from Quinn as the baby's father sat beside her quietly not defending Rachel, the boys were unable to do anything and the girls soon gave up trying to defend Rachel when Quinn would just target them next.

Santana was the only one to continue to go head to head with the arrogant blonde and that usually resulted in such screaming matches that Glee club ended up being a wash out and completely useless.

"I hate him Noah, I hate him so much" Rachel said to the ceiling her tone curiously flat as she described her hatred for someone, something actually shocking when he remembered how Rachel had forgiven everybody but Quinn and Finn for high school.

"I know babe" Puck pressed a kiss to her lips "I can understand why"

"I hear a but" Rachel groused sulking up at him petulantly

"But he is Nate's father" Puck said gently

"No you are" Rachel insisted sitting up and sitting cross legged facing him "blood means nothing you are my sons father in every way that matters. Even before we engaged in a romantic relationship you were his father to me, you went to every ultrasound and appointment you held my hand through seventeen hours of labour and cut the cord. You are Nate's father and I do not need your name on a piece of paper to know this fact. Finn made his choice he chose Bosie State and a shot at the 'pros' not his family, and in many ways I thank him every day that he did because I got you out of it, I thought I was happy when you became my friend because I never thought you would love me. And then you did you loved me and my son and you were not afraid to be twenty years old and tied forever to a life that you never thought would be yours. You are my son's father, you are my fiancé you mean the world to me and there is nothing Finn Hudson can do to change that fact, you Noah Puckerman are my world"

Having started her speech as a carefully articulated speech she finished it with her hands on both of his cheeks tears rolling down her own as she stared him in the eye. Gulping at the own emotion that was coursing through his own veins making his heart pound away in his chest Puck grabbed Rachel hands and pulled her over to him so her legs slipped down on either side of his thighs. He was still emotionally retarded when it came to expressing himself and Rachel as a rule accepted this about him but he knew this wasn't one of those times when he could brush away her heartfelt speech with an 'I love you too'.

"Baby" he started pressing a kiss to her lips "you are my world as well, you and Nate that is why it is not a fear to me to dedicate my very hot life to this family because it is my family. Wouldn't be one without me because come on...I'm the awesome glue that sticks us together" he smiled as Rachel laughed and brushed away her tears to lean her hands on his shoulders nodding at him in agreement. "And other than the fact that he hurt you I am glad that he didn't step up as well because I got you out of it, and to be perfectly honest I am sure that he would have left eventually even if he had stuck around. And I know in my heart that I am Nate's father but I also know that one day we are going to have to tell him that I am not his biological father, because he deserves to know the truth, and I do not want him to resent me"

"He won't..." Rachel started only to stop when he squeazed her hips in silent protest

"He will, because in my position I would think the same way. I am not saying that we suddenly forgive him and make him part of the family I just want you to keep an open mind about him because whether we want to admit it or not, Nate may want or need him someday"

"I don't like it" Rachel huffed as a knock came at the front door again " I really do not like it" she called back to him as she went to open the door not entirely surprise that Finn was waiting on the other side. "Finn" she said shortly feeling when Puck stepped behind her not letting her tall ex push his way into their home again.

"I came back for a reason and if you are not going to let me do this the easy way I will do it the hard way. I want you and my son but if you will not let that happen naturally I will go the legal route"

"What suddenly brought this on?" Puck asked resting a hand on Rachel's hip as he saw her struggling to keep her anger in check.

"I looked up his birth certificate Rachel" Finn continued ignoring Puck "and his father is blank, I am his father Rachel"

"Unfortunately for him" Rachel snapped slamming the door closed in his face again "I cannot do it" she told Puck who stood behind her still "I cannot let that man waltz back into my life and suddenly expect everything to go back to normal, to suddenly have a say in our sons life when he has never cared before"

"It may not always be your choice you heard what he said" Puck warned

"I'll fight for this family"

"So will I"


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Sorry that I haven't replied to any reviews for the last chapter but I actually wrote this all wrapped up in bed sick :( just didn't want to keep you waiting any longer! I will try after this chapter though if I am feeling better :D **

Nate 4

That established the couple went about their day as normally as they could, as it was both of their days off they did the things that fell in importance during the rest of the week as they spent time with their son and worked. After finishing the cleaning and paying the bills the two of them spent the afternoon in the kitchen cooking meals and laughing and joking together as years together had not taken away the easy companionship they had together.

"I do not know how Mike makes a complete hash of his love life like that" Rachel laughed as she slotted a casserole into the freezer, their dinner planned out every week so they could simply take something out in the morning and whoever was home could reheat it.

"I swear him and Tina broke up and his life became mine when I was sixteen" Puck laughed adding chocolate chips to a bowl of dough for the snacks Rachel insisted they made themselves so that Nate did not get anything Rachel deemed unhealthy in his system.

"Well not quite" Rachel teased pressing a kiss to his cheek as she moved in front of him to stir the dough his arms slipping around her waist his chin resting on her shoulder "but he should be more careful"

"I predict a few more mistakes before he wises up" Puck said sagely "and me helping him drown his sorrows in a few more bottles"

"I will never understand why he broke up with Tina" Rachel said shaking her head in annoyance at one of her closet friends.

"If he ever talked about it I would tell you" Puck replied the mystery of why Chang-Squared had broken up having been a hot topic in the group for over two years now.

"I know" Rachel smiled up at him as she dropped spoonfuls of cookie dough onto a baking sheet "I have been thinking"

"I hate when you start sentences like that" Puck laughed before schooling his face into a more serious look which had his fiancé laughing at him and kissing him quickly before continuing.

"I was thinking we should go to talk to Sam"

"Sam? Well Sam is our friend"

"No I meant in an official capacity, perhaps talking to him about our legal options in regards to Finn. If he is so insistent that he will take legal action I would like to know what we can do to respond"

"Alright Babe" Puck agreed knowing it was a good idea "I'll give him a call tonight"

"Perfect" Rachel said pecking him on the lips "did you put your new shift rota up by the way?"

"Uh yeah it's on the notice board" Puck said glancing at the clock as Rachel pulled out a tray of cookies and started transferring them to a wire rack "I arranged with the chief to have the early morning shift so I can pick up Nate every afternoon this week"

"You didn't need to do that" Rachel laughed "I only have a matinee on Wednesday"

"Times like this I want to be around and I think he will enjoy us both picking him up"

"Plus you get to defile me before you go to work" Rachel said biting her lip as she looked at him lustfully

"That is the good thing about five am starts" Puck grabbed at her hips "waking you up at four am to remind you that I love you and that you are mine"

"Always" Rachel said kissing him forcefully before gasping in shock as he hiked her up onto the counter "Noah?" she panted as his mouth travelled down her neck.

"We got time" Puck promised glancing at the wall clock again and sliding his hands up her thighs glad she still wore skirts, pressing a kiss to her lips he hooked two fingers into her panties and pulled them down her legs. Smirking against her neck as she gasped and arched against him he wondered not for the last time how Finn could have walked away after having her once, he was addicted to her and couldn't wait to give Nate a brother or sister.

Breathless and slightly mussed the two of them laughed happily as they pulled themselves together to go and collect Nate..

"I think we should take him out for dinner" Rachel said as they waited at the school gates

"Sounds good to me" Puck laughed "don't have to clean up then"

Rolling her eyes at his excitement at not having to clean the kitchen again she nodded as he pulled out his cell to call Sam while she waited eagerly for her son to come out, hearing the bell she moved forward with the rest of the mothers as the kindergarten class were let out.

"Mommy!" she heard yelled across the school yard as her son dropped the teachers hand and ran for her quickly launching himself into her arms.

"Nathanial!" came the exasperated reprimand from Mrs Pritchard "that is not how I told you we would exit the classroom"

"Sorry" Nate mumbled pouting up at his teacher who laughed and nodded at Rachel who held her son close

"Miss Berry I presume?"

"Very nice to meet you Mrs Pritchard" Rachel smiled shaking hands with the teacher knowing she was a anomaly in being 23 years old with a five year old son "this is Nate's _father_" she said putting an emphasis on the name Mrs Pritchard picked up on as noah took the heavy boy from Rachel's arms.

"Mr Puckerman"

"Nice to meet you, how was our little man today?" Puck asked as Nate showing how well risen he was stayed silent waiting for the adults to stop talking.

"He was Mr Popular" Mrs Pritchard joked "made a lot of friends I am sure he will tell you about later, I wished to talk to you both though"

"Yes?" Rachel said hesitantly wondering if this was going to be the same type of conversation she had with Nate's first preschool teacher. The same conversation where she was accused of being a bad mother with a thug boyfriend and that preschool was not a quick fix solution to bad parenting, suffice to say Nate was taken out straight away and looked after by his Grandmother and his Grandfathers on alternative days.

"I understand that you are both working parents, which I want to commend you with considering your situation I just wanted to make sure you knew about the after school club that we run for working parents"

"Oh" Rachel said in shock "wow that is so nice of you, I should be available most days other than Wednesdays however but I am sure that it will come in handy at some point"

"Good" Mrs Pritchard smiled, while often labelled as old fashioned at first glance she was actually a very liberally minded and the family in front of her impressed her "well I am sure that I will see you all tomorrow, and Miss Berry I would just like to reiterate how impressed I am by you and your son"

"Thank you" Rachel said with a blush before Mrs Pritchard walked away to see to other parents "that was embarrassing" Rachel said to Puck pulling a face which her son laughed at in his father's arms still.

"Shouldn't have been you are awesome" Puck dismissed "aint she buddy?"

"Mommy rocks" Nate declared seriously throwing his arms out to beg a hug from his mother and father at the same time.

"Told ya" Puck said with a grin as Rachel pulled back and they left the school grounds "right now off to dinner we go"

After an excitable dinner with a very energetic five year old they returned him to bath and bed for Nate and a glass of wine each for the tired parents.

"Good night baby" Rachel pressed a kiss to the exhausted five years old head as she pulled up his blankets. "Thank you" she said as she accepted the glass from Puck's hand closing Nate's door "so I assumed you talked to Sam?"

"Yeah he is going to come over now"

"Now?" Rachel questioned in shock as she followed him into the living room "wow"

"I told him the situation and after he wanted to rip Hudson's balls off, something I could sympathise with I might add, he cancelled an appointment and promised to think only about us for the next hour"

"I knew there was a reason I loved him" Rachel laughed as she sat down the light knocking at the door alerted her to her blonde knight at the door "hey Sam" she greeted as Puck let him in.

"Hey Rach" he replied leaning over to press a kiss to her cheek before taking a seat opposite the couple and accepting a glass of wine off of Puck before they chit chatted about their days before getting down to the real problem. "So Finn..." Sam finally started gently "as you know I am not a family lawyer, in fact I am not even fully trained yet but I went and talked to the family lawyer in my firm and she gave me some great advice. She also said she would be happy to represent you if the need became available£

"You must thank her for us" Rachel insisted as she put her wine glass down and leaned forward in expectation.

"I do not personally agree with this" Sam warned "but she did say that initially you should at least try to resolve the situation without courts interference"

"I'm not sure that is going to happen" Rachel said looking at Puck who shook his head grimly

"A court battle could last year's" Sam worried "and cost a fuck load. Look I don't want Finn near Nate anymore than you do but you need to at least find out why he has suddenly decided to come back now after five years"

Not exactly liking what Sam was saying but biting her lip not to blow up Rachel listened as Puck and Sam made plans to have a picnic in Central Park that weekend before Sam went home.

"I do not think I can talk to him" Rachel said grimly as Puck returned to the living room "I don't even know where he is"

"I bet Quinn will know" Puck said with reluctance, both of them not a fan of the blonde who was still really on the periphery of their group to Rachel's disgruntlement.

"But she is in Lima last I knew"

"You really think Finn dumps without her permission? She'll know exactly where he is and how long he will be here. Nah I'll call Artie he can get hold of her and find out where Finn is"

"Then I have to talk to him" Rachel mused again rolling onto her back and looking up at him as her head rested on his lap.

"No I will" Puck promised "you don't want to go near him and you won't. I will find out where he is and I will talk to him"


	5. Chapter 5

Nate 5

The family went about the rest of their week trying to forget the pink elephant in the room as much as possible; Puck had called Artie to find out where in the city Finn was the day after he and Rachel had come to that decision but it was taking their old friend a while. They fell into an easy routine as Puck started on early shifts at the firehouse just down a few blocks over from Nate's school, this meant Rachel could take him to school every day and Puck was always free to pick him up giving Rachel time to either do a matinee show on Wednesday or spend time with her friends or looking at other job opportunities.

"So how was your first week?" Puck asked Nate as he picked him up on Friday afternoon and walked him home

"It was good daddy" Nate grinned as he trotted at his father's side looking up at him in his combat trousers and NY Fire Department t-shirt "I made lots of friends"

"Mrs Pritchard told us that you were Mr Popular" Puck said with a proud grin down at his son "got a best friend yet?"

"Well I'm a few peoples best friend but no one is mine" Nate shrugged "not yet"

Grinning Puck picked his son up as the sidewalk got busy, not willing to risk Nate being overshadowed or pulled away from him as they headed towards the nearest subway entrance.

"How was your day daddy?" Nate asked as his tiny hand tightened around Puck's neck, a sign of trust that always made Puck grin in happiness "did you save anyone?"

"Nope, everyone knows to just leave the fire fighting to us nowadays. Which is what you should always do" Puck reiterated to his son for the millionth time always worried that he would have the same blasé attitude to fire he had had growing up.

"I know daddy. Where are we going?"

"We are off to your Zadies" Puck replied as they went down the stairs to the subway "you are going to stay with them for the night while Mommy and Daddy have a date night with Auntie Santana and Uncle Artie"

"But I want to see Auntie San and Unc Art" Nate protested

"You are going to see them tomorrow" Puck promised him as they stepped back from the platform edge until the train had stopped and everyone had disembarked before they got on themselves "all of us are going to go and have a picnic in the park"

"All of us?"

"Uncle's Mike, Artie, Matt and Sam and Auntie Brit, Mercedes, Tina. And your grandparents hopefully"

"Awesome" Nate said with a huge grin as he sat on the seat beside his father before they got off the train on the upper east side to go up to his grandfathers large apartment.

"Thanks for this guys" Puck said as Nate was whisked away by Hiram for too much sugar

"Our pleasure" Leroy said with a grin at his partner "how are you? Rachel called us after Finn returned, cannot believe that young man had the audacity to come back after all these years"

"I think I'm better off than Rachel" Puck shrugged "she is really angry at him still, not that I blame her, I'm actually going off to talk to him now"

"Really? Why?"

"We talked to Sam and he advised us that it might be a good idea to try and resolve this without going to the courts, a court battle could last years and cost a fortune, Rachel doesn't want to talk to Finn though so I am going to"

"That's good of you" Leroy said with respect "I think I would find it difficult not to rip that smug grin he is sure to have on his face off if I saw him again"

"It's why I am meeting him in public" Puck quipped before shaking his future father in laws hand and making sure to say goodbye to Nate before heading towards the dinner he had had agreed to meet Finn.

"Hudson" Puck said gravely as he slid into the booth opposite the tall man who was nursing a cup of coffee, nodding to the waitress who winked at him in a flirty manner in his FDNY t-shirt he accepted his own cup of coffee and ignored the waitress easily.

"Puck" Finn replied taking a sip of his coffee "was surprised _you_ wanted to meet me"

"Me? I suppose you were expecting Rachel to come running back to you" Puck noted impassively leaning back against the padded bench "instead you probably got a bitchy phone call from Quinn, at least I assume she is still a bitch, and a demand to meet me rather than the girl you seem to be still hung up on"

"Why did you want to meet me _Noah_?" Finn demanded

"Why have you suddenly decided to return _Finn_? After all these years why have you suddenly decided to try and find us"

"Us?"

"Us, Rachel, me, my son"

"My Son" Finn said sullenly "I came back because I made a mistake five years ago and want to rectify it"

"Haven't you heard 'you've made your bed and now you have to lie in it'? Maybe you don't get to walk back into her life, into their lives"

"Why not?"

"You know this is what always pissed me off about you in high school. You seem to think the world owes you something and everything you want should just fall into your lap. But you don't get to do that with Nate's life, not again"

"Nate?" Finn interrupted "that's his name Nate?"

"Yeah Nathanial Samuel Berry" Puck asked slightly uncomfortable with the look of awe that crossed Finn's face when he heard the name of what was at least his biological son "I assumed you knew"

"Artie never told Quinn, his last name is Berry?"

"Yes"

"Why doesn't he have my name?" Finn demanded angrily

"Finn what do you think being a father is? Simply providing the sperm doesn't make you Nate's father it makes you a sperm donor. When Rachel gave birth to Nate she decided that he didn't have a father and gave him her last name, and really I don't blame her, you abandoned her Hudson. You left her alone and frightened at eighteen years old pregnant with your child! You helped make her life more of a living hell, something she really didn't need after her first few years in high school I might add, and sat idly by when the girl you decided to hurt Rachel with just lay into her on a daily basis. And yes you deliberately chose to get back together with Quinn only days after finding out about Rachel's pregnancy knowing that Quinn would rip into Rachel." Noah yelled "And you don't have to worry Hudson, seven more months me and Rachel will be married and I'm adopting Nate, means he will have my last name not Berry and I'm looking forward to giving him mine not to mention brothers and sisters. And you know the difference between you and me? I'm not going to abandon Rachel; I am going to be there every step of the way!"

"I was scared!"

"You were a coward!"

"I stood by Quinn!"

"And you don't think Rachel remembered that and it made her feel worse? She sobbed her way through her first ultrasound because your girlfriend decided to tell her about you going to her first one! You and Will and Quinn one happy little group all around to see Beth, so what if it turned out she was mine but still you were there, and all that did was highlight to Rachel just how much you didn't really care about her."

"But..."

"Not to mention your illuminating addition of the fact you were going to cheat on her when you went off to college"

"My son is not going to be yours" Finn said slightly subdued now "and I will get Rachel back, I know I hurt her but..."

"But nothing" Puck interrupted this time "Rachel hates you! That is why I am here and not her, she literally cannot face you anymore because all she wants to do is scream and shout and cry. Leroy and Hiram hate you. Sam and Santana would like nothing more than to maim you permanently"

"But..."

"Finn just answer my question. Honestly this time please. Why did you come back suddenly?"

"You haven't heard from Kurt recently I'm guessing"

"Uh no, I think Mercedes has but Kurt and Rachel fell out pretty permanently after her and Blaine kissed in Junior year. Guy always was a drama queen"

"He never knew about Rachel"

"He didn't know Rachel was pregnant?"

"No, Mercedes must have mentioned it finally to him, and he mentioned it my mom"

"Your mom didn't know?"

"No and considering the new asshole she ripped me she wasn't impressed with me leaving Rachel like I did"

"Oh I wonder why?" Puck scoffed shaking his head at Finn's stupidity still

"Puck she wants to know her Grandson"

"Nate is not..."

"Yes he is" Finn snapped "and she wants to know him"

"So your back because your Mom is making you be. You are going to throw our lives thorough the ringer because Mommy demands it. Same old Finn"


	6. Chapter 6

Nate 6

"I still cannot believe it!" Rachel snapped as she moisturised at her vanity the next morning "not only for Finn's belief that I would fall into his arms but I do believe Carole is being quite cheeky as well"

"I know babe" Puck reiterated coming up behind her and starting to massage at her neck frowning at the tension he found in the muscles there "and Santana and Artie think so too"

"I know" Rachel groaned, this time in pleasure as his fingers found the notes in the base of her neck and across her shoulders "I'm just so angry and I don't know how not to be"

"A day in the park will be good" Puck promised pressing a kiss to the base of her neck "well until you have to go to work"

"Not today" Rachel surprised him "my understudy begged me to give her a chance at the Saturday shows because her parents are coming to town, I decided I would let her do both shows if she really wanted to and she said yes please"

"Seriously?"

"Apparently I have no work until Tuesday evening now" Rachel grinned happily up at him "three days with my family" laughing as he pulled her up of her stool and closer to his chest she bent her head back to accept a kiss from his lips.

"I can't wait to marry you" Puck said suddenly as they tumbled back on to their bed together, his simple sentence making Rachel's breath catch in her throat. She knew he loved her, knew he wanted to marry her, but for him to blurt out a sentence like that was showing his emotional vulnerability. Not something he did often.

"I cannot wait to marry you" Rachel said seriously her hands on both sides of his face as she stared deep into those expressive brown hazel eyes of his, her memory flashing back to their fight.

"Don't think about it" Puck ordered, knowing that is what she was thinking about "I was just being stupid and let my mouth runoff"

"Ok" she grinned pressing a kiss to his lips again before they rolled of the bed to continue getting ready going to the Park via Rachel's parents to pick up Nate.

"You two spoil him" Santana said with an understanding smile an hour later as Nate dropped both of their hands and pelted towards Sam and Mike his favourite Uncles.

"Not really" Rachel protested "we don't give him anything he wants materialistically, we only spoil him in terms of the attention we give him"

"I suppose that's better than most" Santana conceded as her and Rachel headed towards the giant picnic blanket Britney and Tina had laid out for all of them, Nate already having been whisked away by his uncles for a game that seemed to incorporate lots of running giggling and passing of a ball with no clear teams.

After greeting everyone Rachel pulled out her contribution to the picnic and greeted everyone as they babbled over each other catching up with each other's week and any news that was missed in the spider web network of calls that crossed the City between all five women.

"So how did the conversation with _Hudson_?" asked Mercedes with a sneer, her initial reply nothing but a stony silence Rachel's eyes flashing dangerously before she looked around for her son making sure he was out of ear shot.

"That cretin has returned because..." Rachel started with a treacherous tone to her voice only to pause as a shadow fell across her making all of them look up in shock as they hadn't heard an approach. "Because of her" Rachel spat out as she met the eyes of Carole Hummel "Mrs Hummel" she said stiffly before getting to her feet and storming away quickly Carole on her heels quickly.

"Rachel!" Carole called as Rachel approached a bench tears running down her face "Rachel?" she asked hesitantly sitting down beside Rachel.

"I think you have a nerve, and I think your son is spineless" Rachel admitted "he destroyed me and then you tell him to try and get me back because you want to know your Grandson? Did you not think that maybe I had moved on? That maybe I finally deserved to not have to deal with the effects your sons behaviour caused? What gave you the right to do this to me? To my family?"

"Rachel" Carole sighed with remorse as the young women continued to cry beside her "I just wanted to know my Grandson"

"But at what cost were you willing to get what YOU wanted? Nathanial does not know about Finn and I am not exactly inclined to explain it to a five year old it would only confuse him. He has a father, he has grandparents, he has aunts and uncles and more than that he has a grandmother" dashing the tears from her eyes quickly and getting to her feet.

"Wait please" Carole begged one eye on the group of young adults who were watching her with undisguised hatred "I already lost one grandchild"

"Through no fault of mine, in fact in think it's the girl Finn used to punish me you need to blame for that little fact being true in your life"

"I know" Carole hurried to assure her back tracking quickly "and I know Finn was an idiot"

"An idiot? I don't think that fully encapsulates exactly what your son did to me, to us in fact. He abandoned us and you can't brush it away as some mistake because he was naive or something Carole! I told him about my pregnancy and he told me to get rid of the baby, informed me he would have been cheating on me while college, while telling me that I wasn't allowed to cheat on him I add. Did you know that I sobbed my way through my first ultrasound because Quinn decided to tell me that Finn went to her first ultrasound? Your son abandoned us Mrs Hummel; he gave up any rights at that point"

"He wants to know his son"

"No he wants to please you, and you know this in the quiet heart otherwise you would not have come out here to plead your case yourself, because you knew that I would see through Finn instantly"

"I...I..." Carole stammered speechless for once

"I can understand, I can even somewhat respect what you are trying to do but I'm not going to let it happen at risk to my family, not after what yours did to me"

"Rachel I just want to meet him"

"And what? Tell him the truth? Tell him how Noah, the only father he has never known is not really his father? Throw him this giant curveball and turn his life upside down, rip away his father rip away his grandmother? And then you go back to Lima and he loses you as well? As far as I am concerned that would not only destroy my family, the thing I am trying to avoid the most, it would destroy the life I was so lucky to rebuild after what Finn did. You and Finn do not have the right to do that to me and Noah, and more than that Nate"

"I don't want to destroy your family" Carole promised quickly "you and Noah are not my target"

"We are Finn's apparently. Did you seriously think that Finn could just walk in and not make a harsh of this? He marches back into our lives after five's years and makes the assumption that I was going to fall into his arms and leave Noah, that he can take a place in Nate's heart. Nate has a father and Nate has a grandmother"

"Can't he have two?" Carole asked the tears her pitiful question had brought to her eyes falling as she stared Rachel who swallowed uncomfortably "I just I want to know him, you can make sure Finn stays away I will even support you on that fact but please. When I lost my husband and all I had left was Finn I didn't have any other family and I promised myself to hold onto any family I gained tightly from then on. Don't answer now" Carole interrupted as Rachel went to open her mouth "just please...please let me know my grandson...please"

The tears still running down her face Carole walked away quickly away from the group that continued to watch them, Rachel's defensive posture finally melting away as she wrapped her arms around herself tears running down her face.

"Mommy?" came the small timid voice from below, its fear breaking her heart even more.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N Sorry this took so long to get up, plus I got an anonymous PM having a go at me for not thanking people in my authors notes for their reviews, seeing as I reply to every one I get I didn't think it was necessary :s, but ok I'm sorry I don't thank you guys here as well! Thank you to my loyal reviewers! :D **

Nate 7

"It's ok baby" Rachel assured her son who stared up at her the worry for his mother written all over he is face, falling to her knees beside him she folded him into her arms and held him tightly to her "mommy just had a bit of a shock and it made her cry"

"But you are ok now?" Nate checked his voice muffled as it was pressed into her shoulder his small hands clinging to the back of her shirt so that when she straightened he came up with her.

"You ok?" Puck checked as Rachel stood with her arms tightly wrapped around son

"Yeah" Rachel nodded quickly resting her head against Nate's dark hair as Puck folded both of them into his own arms "was just a shock and...and emotionally draining"

"Looked it" Puck said pressing a kiss to her temple "Let Nate go play" he murmured nodding to Mike and Sam to come and collect their surrogate nephew, which they did quickly before Puck dragged Rachel away from their understandably prying eyes.

"What are we going to do Noah?" Rachel demanded as they left a coffee cart he had dragged her to "I don't think Carole is going to disappear at the first hurdle like Finn if we just shut her down"

"She's not weak like her son" Puck agreed "there is something else you are not saying" he added watching her eyes carefully.

"I can understand where she is coming from" Rachel said reluctantly sitting down on another bench her fiancée beside her. "She is being cheeky but she wants to know her Grandson, I may not like it but I'm sure even you can sympathise with her for that. Is there really any difference between child and grandchild? Could we keep Nate from my father's if they hadn't supported us? Did you not hate being kept back from Beth?"

"Yeah" Puck said less reluctantly then Rachel would have guessed, he only wanted to keep Finn away from Rachel and Nate, no-one else and in her own way Carole as cheeky as she was being was not malicious. He knew her very well growing up the Hudson household almost as much home to him as his own house, she never would maliciously want to hurt anyone and that her behaviour right now was more than likely a result of the deep need to keep her family around.

"That didn't really specify which question you were answering" Rachel fretted grabbing at his free hand and lacing their fingers together "Noah when we decided to start this relationship we agreed to be completely honest when it came to our family, I need you to be honest right now"

"_Why not Rachel? Why not take this chance?" Puck demanded loudly as he slammed Rachel's bedroom door closed behind him, Rachel having run to her refugee as soon as he had broached the conversation for what felt like the millionth time._

"_Because we cannot risk it!" Rachel screamed back crawling onto her bed and flinching at the loud bang her door caused as it bounced against the door frame "you mean too much to me for us to fall into a romantic relationship and then it fail and lose what we have"_

"_We won't fail" Puck insisted "I know we won't"_

"_How can you just know?" Rachel yelled "the fact is you can't, do you not realise how important you are to Nate? How important you are to me?"_

"_How can us finally acting on our feelings be a bad thing then? If I am so important, wont having me around more be a good thing?"_

"_Don't be naive" Rachel snapped "that argument does not circumvent my first one. If we fail at maintaining a relationship it would hurt to lose you. Noah it would hurt to lose you no matter what, adding yet more risk to that happening is not the way to go"_

"_The more you hide behind that argument the more it loses any power it had" Puck said quietly getting on the bed beside her and making her look him in the eye "I love you Rachel. I always have"_

"_No you haven't" Rachel insisted shaking her head and looking away again, only for her gaze to be forced back to his own._

"_Yes I have" Puck reiterated "long before Finn fucked up the last time, in fact probably before he did for the first time. I love you Rachel, I love Nate. I followed you out here to New York because I loved you and I'm going to stick around and make sure that we work out because I love you, and I am a stubborn SOB that wont fail at this. I won't let us fail"_

"_Being part of a family..."_

"_We are a family" Puck said sadly, wondering why she didn't know that already._

"_I know we are and I am sure that despite Nate only being a year old views you as his father. But to be here constantly, to make the big decisions with me, to be the disciplinary parent as well the 'cool' Uncle who just spoils him, to give up on proper sleep when he is ill and fussy, no flat to escape to when you are just so sick of everything. That is what you are signing up for by being in a relationship with me, because I cannot do casual, I cannot just 'date; you. it would be serious. I won't risk that Noah, because I know that scare you"_

"_No it doesn't" Puck promised "you told me that we could finally take that step we have been tiptoeing around and I would move in here today"_

"_What?"_

"_Yeah I would. Why do you think I live in a weekly rental accommodation? So that I have no commitments for when you finally let me move in. Rachel I love you!"_

"_Don't take this the wrong way Noah but you are a little emotionally retarded most of the time, when it comes to a family honesty is not just preferred it's required. When the difficult decisions need to be made they need to be made together"_

"_I can do that" Puck promised again "Baby if it would mean you were mine finally I would promise you the moon, and get it for you" pulling her so that she sat on his lap and could see his sincerity "Rachel you want honesty then I can promise it because it means you and Nate are mine. I would give you anything if you loved me back"_

"_I do love you back" Rachel told him emotionally her hands resting on his shoulders "how could I not? You have done nothing but be there for me. Always"_

"I did promise honesty Babe" Puck remembered "and I have to honestly say that this Carole situation needs to be thought about properly"

"I want to dismiss her out of hand but I do not think we can"

"That's why we need to think about" Puck agreed "it looked like a pretty emotional conversation you two were having so I got to assume that she made some pretty serious pro arguments for her knowing Nate"

"She agreed to keep Finn away" Rachel said quietly looking up across the park to where Nate was being suitably distracted by Sam and Mike who were playing a game of chase.

"I still think that we should get him a puppy" Puck added with a grin as he watched his son run around screaming happily "I don't think Carole is blind to her sons faults" he returned to the original conversation "and if she is going to keep Finn away..."

"Carole may not be blind but what if Finn decides for his own reasons to come back? Will she really try and stop him then?"

"You have to stop trying to predict the future"

"What about having to explain all this to Nate then?" Rachel argued again "that won't be easy"

"But we will do it, we were always going to one day" Puck reminded her "I will be his father without sharing blood"

"Do you think he will understand that? Because I am not so sure, I always expected there to be some conflict when we tell him but I do not want to confuse him"

"We don't need to explain everything" Puck promised, finding this role reversal of being the voice of reason a little hard to get used to "and we don't have to agree right now to anything now either. All we need to agree to thinking about letting Carole into our lives"

"So we think about it?" Rachel said quietly already knowing that Carole was at least going to meet Nate.

Knowing what she was thinking Puck laughed lowly and pressed a kiss to her forehead "Finn will not break up our family" he promised again.


	8. Chapter 8

Nate 8

"Hello Carole" Puck said easily as he opened the front door "we weren't expecting you in New York again for a few more weeks"

"Well I missed him" Carole grinned "uh is Rachel home?" she asked worriedly, despite her best efforts over the last few months Rachel remained very uncomfortable around her, mostly due to Finn's actions still but also because of the difficult conversation it prompted with Nate.

"_Nate baby, can you come out here please?" Rachel called to her son as she paced the living room to Puck's annoyance as he sat on the sofa waiting for the whirlwind to burst out from the room and land next to him on the sofa._

"_Yes Mammy?" he smiled cheekily _

"_I need to talk to you about something very important" Rachel started biting her lip in worry as she sat down beside him "and I need you to know before I tell you that I love you a lot and this changes nothing"_

"_What's going on?" Nate asked worriedly looking between both of his parents _

"_It's nothing to worry about" Puck reassured his son, wondering just how much he was lying and how this was going to affect his relationship with the little boy he had fallen in love with before he had even knew he was a boy._

"_Baby you know that I had you at a very young age?" Rachel said bringing back Nate's attention to her "well when mommy...well daddy...uh..." she stammered no idea how to explain this to her five year old son._

"_Bud you know I am your dad" Puck took over trying to help "but there is a difference between being a father and a dad"_

"_Yes, yes there is" Rachel jumped on Puck's thought process "not all children have a different thing but you do. You have both a Dad and a Father; Noah is your Dad in every important sense and loves you more than anything, but his is not your father"_

"_He's not?" Nate asked in worry and confusion, he was a smart kid and understood the difference meant that his dad wasn't actually his dad in the way everyone else meant, that when a man and a women loved each other they decided to have a baby. _

"_Not that this changes anything" Puck interrupted "I love you, you are MY SON"_

"_Yeah baby" Rachel agreed with Puck "this changes absolutely nothing" she promised vehemently "in fact all that change's is that you are going to gain a grandmother. And then you are going to have the normal two" she added brightly trying to put a positive spin on it, even if her heart wasn't sure "Carole is your Grandmother, and her son is your father, but Noah is your DAD"_

"_I will never not be your Dad" Puck promised Nate sliding an arm around his son and hugging him tightly "I know this is a really huge confusing thing, but all that changes is that you gain another family member"_

"_So I have another Bubie?" _

"_Well she's not Jewish" Rachel insisted pedantically "so more Grandma, or maybe Gran"_

"_Ok?"_

"_I know baby, this is very confusing" Rachel smoothed a hand down his hair "but we are going to introduce her to you and if you want to know her you can, and if you don't want to that's perfectly ok as well"_

"_It's up to you, it will always be up to you" Rachel promised almost in tears again as she hugged her son close, thanking god that he hadn't asked about his father who she had conveniently brushed under the carpet quickly._

The meeting had been as awkward as Rachel had imagined it would be meeting the Monday after the meeting in Central Park at a diner Carole had been so excited that Rachel had felt even more uncomfortable if possible. And also guilty that she had kept Nate away for so long, her guilt actually pissing her off when she thought about it.

In the months following Carole had travelled back to New York once maybe twice a month to be around her Grandson, a long journey for only a few hours with him on a Saturday and Sunday, apparently staying with her son, who surprisingly was staying in the city. This meant that Finn knew his mother was seeing his son, but sixth months later Rachel hadn't seen him again, and she hoped it would stay that way.

Gleeeeeeeeeeee

"Nope" Puck grinned at Carole as Nate heard his grandmother's voice and came running from his room to launch himself into her arms with a squeal of happiness "she's at work"

"Oh I wanted to pass something by her" Carole said with worry as she picked up her grandson and cuddled him close in welcome.

"Well you can ask me?" Puck laughed at Carole as Nate fell back onto his feet and ran off to get his jacket, Rachel just couldn't find it in herself to trust Carole enough to take Nate out of the apartment but Carole had agreed that one of their friends could always be around as a chaperone.

"Oh um maybe" Carole flashed a grin, one that turned uncomfortable as Sam let himself into the apartment and ran at Nate without even a smile at Puck to tackle Nate into his arms.

"Uncle Sammmmmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyyy" Nate cried as he was tossed into the air and spun around the room like a superhero.

"Sup ?" Sam replied in sing song "so what is the plan today?" he asked holding Nate by his ankles upside down "for our super duper Saturday?"

"Zoo!" Nate squealed as he swung upside down laughing innocently.

"Ahh wanna go see your brothers in the monkey house" Sam nodded knowingly before dropping the boy on the sofa as a tangled mess and flopping down next to him as Nate squealed in indignation and jumped on him to tickle him in revenge.

Pining him tightly Sam looked up at Puck and Carole who were laughing at the antics of the two of them, Sam's sharp gaze noting the uncomfortable look in Carole's eye despite her laughter. "Hi" he said belatedly to the two of them

"Sup dude" Puck grinned "Drink?"

"Just a water please" Sam answered flashing him a grin his hands busy with one hand over Nate's mouth and the other keeping him still "Carole" he added nodding at the women and letting Nate go to follow his dad.

"Hello Sam" Carole smiled tightly at the blonde, she may have understood why Rachel wouldn't trust her alone with Nate yet but having her son's former friends following her around and chaperoning her with her own grandson hurt her.

"So zoo?" he attempted to start a conversation with her nodding as he looked around the room idly "should be a laugh"

"Uh yes" Carole agreed glancing at her watch, effectively ending the attempt at the conversation as quickly as Sam had decided to try and start it.

"So Carole you wanted to ask me something?" Puck said bringing in a bottle of water for Sam and tossing it towards him as Nate followed after him munching on a sandwich.

"No, no I should probably talk to Rachel about it" Carole insisted "She would want to make decisions about Nate"

"I'm his dad" Puck reminded Carole "Rachel trusts me to make decisions"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes Carole" Puck snapped slightly sick of this argument this not being the first time Carole had tried to avoid including him in decisions "I am his dad"

Biting her lip as at the tip of her tongue there was the need to snap that actually Finn was Carole nodded "well Burt, he came with me this weekend and I was wondering if he could come with us, to the zoo apparently"

"I don't see any problem with that, as long as... Sam go make sure that Nate has made his bed please?" waiting until Sam had picked Nate up again and carried him off to the bedroom upside down again before he continued "as long as you are not expecting Burt to be 'granddad'"

"But he is..."

"No he's not, at most he is not only a step-grandfather and Nate already has two grandfathers"

"Ok" Carole agreed quickly, this wasn't a situation she should cause waves with not if what she thought her son was thinking was going to happen. After saying goodbye to Puck she followed Sam and Nate out of the door towards the taxi rank to get a taxi towards the zoo, as much as sixth months ago she had promised that she supported Finn not being part Nate's life she had seen a change in him.

Finn had showed an interest in the young boy that Carole had seen so many times in the last half a year, and had even asked for a picture of his son to have for his wallet, if Finn came to the decision on his own to come back into his sons life she wouldn't convince him otherwise. Burt could be granddad if Finn was dad.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N Sorry! I know this has taken a while to get up and I'm sorry :( please forgive me!**

Nate 9

"This wedding is driving me mad" Puck groused tossing himself on to the easy sofa at the station house "Rachel is too busy at work to help out a lot and there is still a fuck load to do cos we pushed everything off to the last minute"

"You sent out the invites" Jack grinned "only thing important to me"

"I thought chicken or beef was the most important thing" Puck grinned back "there is the flowers, the temple arrangements, the parents, the suit, the dress, Nate. And most importantly the honeymoon"

"What you doing with the little man when you are away?" Jack asked as Puck tossed his feet up on the table.

"Plan was him going to his granddads but now the uncles want him and the aunts. One thing we don't have to worry about is him being looked after"

"That's cos he is awesome" Jack laughed before the fire bell went off and they rushed to the engine.

"The flowers are being delivered the night before!" Rachel screamed as Puck opened the front door "this is a disaster"

"Ok wait" Puck ordered as he dumped his backpack on the floor and shrugged out of his jacket "why is it a disaster?" he asked carefully taking hold of her hips.

"What if they die over night?" Rachel whimpered looking up at him with wide chocolate eyes that were welling with tears.

"Aww baby" Puck laughed softly brushing at the tears "we will make sure that the flowers are put in water"

"Why didn't I think of that?" Rachel moaned at herself letting her forehead on to his chest "this wedding is going to drive me crazy in the next month"

"You and me both babe" Puck laughed pressing a kiss to her head as it rested against his chest still "but we are just going roll with the punches and get married because that is what matters most"

"I know it does" Rachel groaned pulling back to look at him "I just seem to hear a detail about the wedding and what could go wrong and I start freaking about it! And I know that is not exactly a surprising characteristic in me but this is getting to even me!"

"Less than four weeks baby" Puck kissed her "it's going to go like that" he promised clicking his fingers.

And he was right, after four weeks of last minute details finally being ironed out and dresses altered, and numerous calls to caters and florists as everything that could go wrong did, the two of them were saying goodbye for the traditional night apart before the wedding.

"I don't wanna" Puck pouted as Rachel packed his suitcase and made sure his suit was perfectly pressed in the suit carrier hanging on the pack of the door.

"We made this decision months ago" Rachel reminded him gently as she placed the shoes still in the box in the bag with his underwear and clothes to wear before he put the suit on "and it means a lot to me"

"Aww" Puck pouted again before tugging her close and kissing her firmly "but..."

"No!" Rachel laughed pulling away and slipping past him out of the door towards Nate's room to pack for her son who playing the role of ring bearer at the wedding and staying with his father at the hotel tonight. After packing for her son she said goodbye to both of them before Sam came to pick them to drive them over to the hotel they were staying in next to temple Puck's mother insisted they get married in.

"Hey girlie" Brit yelled an hour later as Rachel opened the door to her apartment, Santana and Tina following close behind both brandishing bottles of champagne.

"Ready for your last night of being single?" Santana laughed as Rachel led the way into living room

"I always hate that" Rachel shook her head folding herself onto the sofa "I'm not single, I'm just not married yet"

"You think too much" Tina laughed tossing a pillow at Rachel's head as Britney struggled with one of the bottles, Santana blanched and ran to take over quickly the sharp crack of the cork making them all cheer before it was poured into the champagne flutes.

"Ok well as it is not your last night of being single, this is to "Rachel and Puck"" Santana toasted them all clinking glasses before falling together on the sofa for a night of talking and romantic films.

"So are you finally going to tell us the secret about you and Mike?" Rachel giggled a little while later as they all got slightly tipsy "you have been quiet for two years now!"

"We just grew apart" Tina tried to evade again earning herself her own pillow to the head "we did!" she defended herself, Brit throwing the pillow this time "he proposed" she finally spat out, all three girls eyes widening in shock.

"What"

"The"

"Fuck"

Rachel Britney and Santana said in chorus.

"This story needs more champagne" Rachel declared reaching for the bottle and tipping the rest into the glasses. "Ok so what happened?"

"He proposed" Tina shrugged "he said we had been together for four years and that he loved me and this seemed like the next step for us"

"Those were his words?" Rachel asked sceptically as Santana and Britney gasped in shock. "I know Mike, he loved you he would have been way more romantic"

"It was a very romantic proposal. I just didn't say yes"

"Why not?" Brit asked confused "you loved him right?"

"I thought so" Tina shrugged "but he was down on one knee looking up at me with a ring and I just couldn't say yes. If I had loved him I would have said yes" using taking a sip of her drink as an excuse Tina glanced away and wiped at her eye quickly.

Changing the conversation quickly the four of them watched a few movies and then got to bed early for a long leisurely morning of going to the spa and brunch before arriving at the hotel and going up to the bridal suite.

"Hey girl" Mercedes greeted Rachel as she entered the room "aww your hair looks amazing"

"Thanks" Rachel grinned putting her hand to hair, her chocolate locks were half up and studded with seed pearls and curled "seeing as you designed it..."

"What can I say I have good taste" Mercedes shrugged "sorry that I couldn't be there last night"

"You were on call" Rachel shrugged "I understand, I'm just glad that you managed to come"

"Like I would miss your wedding, now we have one hour to get you in your dress and looking fabulous" stepping back she pulled Rachel in further before pulling out the wedding dress.

"I can get into this" Rachel insisted "you four go and get into your bridesmaid dresses" getting into the white dress which was tight and fell straight to the floor. The white was off cream and had a gold panel in the centre of the bodice with delicate brown flowers stitched into it, while the sleeves hung down her arms, the bodice itself clung to her, showing over not only her small breasts but her flat stomach and curved waist.

"I love that dress" Santana gushed as she came out in her rose red dress

"Thank you" Rachel said pulling the skirt around to stand in front of her bridesmaids who all gushed and awed at her, it bringing a blush to her cheeks.

"Ready to get married?" Brit asked with a grin a little while later, the hour having gone exceptionally quick for the five girls as they touched up their makeup and got their bouquets ready.

"More than anything" Rachel smiled as she tweaked the red rose petals, her bridesmaids with cream ones that matched her own dress. Leaving the safety of the bridal suite they went down in the elevator and next door to the small temple they had chosen for the wedding.

"Ready?" Leroy asked with a big grin as he met Rachel and the girls in the ante room

"Yes" Rachel replied in resigned exasperation but a smile on her face "more than ready"

"Let's get this show on the road then" Hiram smiled, the music alerting the girls to walk down the aisle with Sam, Mike, Artie and Jack as Puck's groomsmen.

His heart in his throat but no fear that she wouldn't come walking down that aisle towards him and their son Puck shifted his weight from foot to foot, ok so there was a little fear, swallowing as the march started he straightened quickly. Grinning and nodding at the large wedding party he felt his heart grow in his chest as Rachel stepped into view, flanked by her father's she was a vision in the cream and gold dress he had not been allowed to see.

Smiling at her, really smiling for once he took her hand and helped her to step up onto the chuppas step "you look gorgeous" he muttered under his breath as the Rabbi started the ceremony.

"Thank you" she whispered back as they held hands both of them mostly deaf to the words coming from their Rabbi's mouth on the virtues of marriage.

"Love you" Puck mouthed at her making her blush under her veil which was so sheer it was practically nonexistent.

"Love you too" Rachel blushed before turning their attention back to the Rabbi a sudden bang and gust of wind turning everyone's head to the back of the temple where a person stood between the two doors, a second person hovering at his shoulder.

"Fuck my life" Puck and Rachel growled at the same time.


	10. Chapter 10

Nate 10

"Wait why are you saying fuck my life?" Rachel asked in confusion "it's only Finn"

"Finn is here?" Puck growled looking again "I was looking at the other guy; actually I was wondering why you said 'fuck my life' now I know I guess"

"Who is the other guy?" Rachel asked the man who was only minutes away from being her husband

"My dad" Puck said angrily "all we need is Quinn and Carole and we would have the quad-fecta of people who hate the idea of us being married, or you know us"

Closing her eyes in resignation Rachel let her head fall with a soft thud onto his chest both of them having been completely oblivious to the rising noise in the temple as the two men marched their way down towards them.

"Mommy?" Nate asked worriedly as everyone started talking around him, his eyes on his mother being comforted by his dad.

"Come here Bud" Puck told him quickly as his dad and Finn approached talking over each other as they demanded their targets attention. Scared at all the shouting Nate hurried to comply with his father's order and slid in between his two parents quickly.

"Rachel, you can't marry him" Finn screamed as Puck's father, Ethan, screamed that Puck was making a mistake.

"Oh look it Quinn and Carole" Rachel sighed in wry her eyes not even falling on Finn who continued to say that she couldn't marry Puck for some blustering reason that everyone was ignoring, everyone more interested in why the family abandoning Ethan Cohan had returned.

"Ethan if you haven't figured this out yet, you have nothing to say with my life. And right now I'm a little busy trying to get married if you don't mind"

"Getting married to the wrong person!"

"Marrying the women I love!" Finn interjected again, making to step up onto the chuppa only to be yanked back quickly by Sam as Carole and Quinn joined them.

"Marrying the women I love!" Puck snapped back, letting his hold on Rachel's hip fall as she turned away from him to pick up Nate who was hiding behind the two of them, the 100 guests behind the group all silent as they watched the drama unfold with unashamed curiosity. "I told you months ago Finn you don't get a say!"

"He is Nate's father!" Quinn and Carole piped up together quickly

"Why are you even here?" Santana asked the blonde furiously "we haven't seen you in years Fabray, and to be honest we were happier thinking you were dead"

"Santana" Rachel said quietly "could you perhaps hold the fort here, I think we should discuss this somewhere else" rolling her eyes at the frustrated groan of the crowd Rachel turned to Puck who nodded in agreement.

"Sure babe" Santana agreed, the wedding party agreeing quickly

"Do you want me to take Nate?" Sam offered holding his arms out

"We will look after him" Mike promised as Rachel and Puck glanced at the upset boy between them, Nate's face hidden in his mother's neck.

"Always" Artie added seriously rolling closer, smiling maliciously as the strangely silent Finn yelped pulling up his foot to cradle it quickly.

"Yeah" Rachel finally said crouching in her dress to place Nate carefully back on his feet "baby, Daddy and me have to talk to these people but you will be safe and sound with your uncles here ok?"

"You sure you are going to be ok?" Nate asked seriously looking up at his mom, not liking that this day when she was supposed to be really happy and they were supposed to finally become a real family with mommy and daddy married.

"Daddy will look after me" Rachel promised, biting her lip to make sure that the tears which were welling in her eyes at her little boy wanting to defend her.

"I will" Puck said gravely crouching beside hugging Nate tightly.

"Daddy, is that my father?" Nate whispered into his ear as he did.

"Yes" Puck answered reluctantly before hugging him tightly again and straightening

"Then I have to do something quickly" Nate said fiercely before hopping down and running over to Finn, who looked down at him in shock and something akin to pride.

"I hate you!" Nate suddenly snapped "you are trying to ruin my mommy and daddy's big day!"

"Nate, darling this is your daddy" Carole tried to say gently and quietly only to wince as the crowd oohh'd and gasped in shock.

"No he isn't" Nate stomped his foot in anger "he is the man who hurts my mommy, and I don't want to see you again either!"

"No, you are just angry" Carole insisted "I love you and I'm just trying to look out for you. You are only five years old"

"Six" Nate snapped quickly "and I may be SIX, but I'm not stupid. You are a mean person, who promised not to try and break up my family, but you are trying"

"Nathanial" Finn tried to start gently "I'm just..."

"You are not my daddy and you will never be my daddy" Nate declared stubbornly before kicking Finn as hard as he could in the ankle and running away to his uncles who picked him up and hurried him away towards his grandfathers and grandmother. Who had decided to keep out of the confrontation, even if it was killing them.

"Bridal room. Now" Rachel ordered harshly but smiling with malicious pride as Finn rubbed at his ankle "excuse us Rabbi"

"It's fine" the Rabbi assured the angry looking bride quickly, wondering how such a nice couple seemed to have such a drama filled wedding.

Gathering her skirt as she spun back around Rachel marched through the four people stopping her wedding with her head held high, Puck moved to follow only stopping to nab a pen from a guest.

"No!" Rachel snapped as they entered the bridal room and Finn opened his mouth again to start ranting "you do not get a say in my life Finn Hudson. None at all and for you to stop my wedding is just another thing I will never forgive you for"

"Rachel, how can I?"

"You can't! You will never get me to forgive you" Rachel told him emphatically "I hate you, and I will never trust you, never make the mistake of loving you again, now leave!" she ordered pointing towards the door "because there is nothing you can say or do to change my mind"

"One sec" Puck ordered from his place by the door "I want you to see this Hudson" reaching into his jacket inside pocket he pulled out a folded piece of paper, unfolding it and uncapping the pen he signed in a dotted line at the bottom "now he's my son. Legally"

"No you can't do that!" Carole protested as Puck put the paper back into his pocket "you can't take my grandson away from Finn, or me"

"We already have" Rachel snapped "I knew I shouldn't have trusted you. Tell me Carole, how long have you had this in mind? How long have you thought about ruining my wedding day?"

"I wasn't trying to ruin your wedding day" Carole insisted "I just wanted my family"

"At the cost of mine, just like I thought it would be"

"OI!" Ethan suddenly screamed hating being ignored "ok so she is being a whatever, I'm trying to stop my son making a huge mistake and it seems I am too late"

"GET OUT!" Puck suddenly screamed at all of them "I don't know why all of you suddenly seem to think you have any say in anything we do. But you are ruining our wedding day, I don't think you are realising this important fact. OUR WEDDING DAY!"

Walking over to Rachel he slid his arm around her waist and held her close "this is our day you are ruining and Quinn I'm not even going to pretend to understand why YOU are here"

"I was just Carole's ride" the blonde admitted reluctantly "and now I will be her and Finn's ride out of her"

"Nice to know you are useful for something" Rachel scoffed at the blonde

"Ethan you can leave with them" Puck added as Quinn flushed in embarrassment "I have nothing to say to you and I never will"

"I'm confused as to how he knew to come here at all" Rachel admitted

"I'll tell you later" Puck promised "after you are my wife. You can all leave now" he ordered leading Rachel out quickly and back up the aisle. "Ok everyone" he called out to the chattering and gossiping crowd "sorry about the overflow of drama but we are going to get back to what we came here for now"

Smiling at Nate who took his place back beside his uncle's Rachel stepped up onto the chuppa as the wedding guests quieted down and settled down.

"Rabbi?" Rachel said gently taking Puck's hands again and smiling up at her fiancée as the ceremony was restarted.

"My darling Noah, I will never be able to fully explain how much you mean to me but I will try" Rachel laughed as their vows started "you have looked after me for years, and I cannot imagine a time when you will not. You loved me at my worst and my best, through thick and thin. When you fell in love with me you accepted my son as well, but we weren't a family until you joined us. you are my life and my love Noah, you make this family. All of us" she said seriously pressing their joined hands to her flat stomach tears of happiness running down her face as Noah understood what she meant.

"Noah" the Rabbi prompted as Noah stared at Rachel in surprise and joy

"Well I had this amazing speech all planned out and I practised it hundreds of times" Puck joked as his own eyes filled with tears of joy "but as usual Rachel pre-empts me and decides to announce amazing news that has me looking like a girl in front of everyone" laughing along with the guests he wiped at his eyes quickly. "I love you Rachel, and Nate, and this little girl or guy" he added pressing his hands to her stomach again "and right now I'm too stunned to actually think of what to say so instead I'll promise you this. To keep doing exactly what I have always done. Love you, protect you and well...you know" he added with a knowing smirk which had everyone laughing again and Rachel blushing.

Nate knowing this was his bit hurried forward with the rings and stood still smiling at his mom and dad as the rings were blessed before his dad picked up one and slid it onto Rachel's ring finger.

"Behold, you are consecrated to me with this ring according to the law of Moses and Israel"

Smiling Rachel picked up her own ring and slid it onto Puck's ring finger "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine"

After the seven blessings and the breaking of the glass the couple were declared man and wife and left for their traditional twenty minutes alone.

"Oh missy you got some 'splaining to do" Puck laughed as he kicked the door closed behind them, his hands on her hips.

"I didn't meant to tell you" Rachel laughed biting her lip as he rained kisses down on her face "it just sort of slipped out"

"You are really pregnant?"

"I really am" Rachel promised her eyes full of tears again as he fell to his knees and pressed a kiss to her cloth covered belly before sitting down on a chair

"I love you"

"I love you"

He snagged her around the waist and pulled her down onto his lap burying his head into neck, pressing kisses to her skin quickly.

"Noah?" Rachel said her tone no longer full of love but worry as she leaned over and picked up the piece of paper that was sitting on the table in the bridal room.

"Babe?"

Sighing she closed her eyes in resignation and handed over the piece of paper.

"Oh for fuck sake '_we'll see you in court'_" Puck read out "so much for thinking its over"

"Nope we aren't thinking of this right now" Rachel declared ripping the piece of paper out of his hand and screwing it up into a ball to lob over her shoulder as a gentle knock came at the door "come in" she called out.

"Can I come in?" Nate asked worriedly as he hovered at the door "Auntie San said you might be busy"

"Never too busy for you bud" Puck said "come on, I got one more knee you can sit on" grinning as Nate flew across the room and onto his dads lap he listened as Rachel told him about the baby brother or sister he was going to have in a few months.

"Are you happy about it daddy?"

"More than anything" Puck grinned catching Rachel's eye. Yeah they would see them in court, and they would win. This was his family/


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N Forgive me? Please? Last Year of Uni is a good excuse right?**

**And I'm sorry that I haven't replied to reviews but I will I promise! **

Nate 11

After a relaxing honeymoon in the Caribbean away from all of their problems and only the two of them the newlyweds returned to the City determined to make Finn and his family go away as quickly as possible. Puck especially wanted Finn nowhere near Rachel during her pregnancy and in reverse Rachel nowhere near any stress. She was carrying his child now and unlike Finn he was going to protect her in any way possible for the next nine months.

"Hey Sammy" Puck grinned as he opened the apartment door his son in his arms as he had been from the minute they had picked him up from his grandparents.

"Sup married man?" Sam said with a grin and a ruffle of Nate's hair stepping into the apartment.

"Thanks for coming over so quickly" Puck said with his own smile, loving the reminder that he was now a married man.

"Any time" Sam shrugged it off as Nate slipped away to play on his games console "I'm here for you two anytime"

"So you have guessed why I want to talk to you then" Puck drawled leaning forwards to rest his elbows on his knees "we want to take you up on your offer of your firms family lawyer"

"Already started talking to her" Sam admitted "sorry, I know that is over stepping my mark but I thought it would be a good thing to get the ball rolling. Especially considering that Carole has been trying to get in contact with your mother and Rachel father's"

"Wait what?" Puck demanded his eyes widening in wonder and anger

"Oh you didn't know that?" Sam backtracked quickly "so I guess you didn't pick up Nate"

"No Rachel got him and then had to go to the theatre. We didn't get time to talk. Explain please"

"The entire two weeks you were gone Carole was calling around trying to find where Nate was, saying stuff like Rachel said she could spend a few days with Nate overnight during the honeymoon"

"No she didn't"

"Which we all knew" Sam assured him "and we all told her to go away, after the wedding drama we knew to keep Nate safe and away from that family and make sure your dad stayed away as well. Which leads me to another question...?"

"Why was my dad at the wedding in the first place? Yeah Rachel demanded to know that as soon as we got on the plane"

"Well?"

"He got in contact with me a few months ago, almost a year now. Out of the blue he sent a message through my Nana Connie asking to meet me for dinner"

"Surprised you went"

"Rachel said that I would never be able to put it behind me if I didn't confront him"

"So basically she mind-fucked you"

"She's my wife, are you surprised?" Puck laughed before he explained what had happened when he met his dad.

"_So exactly why did you want to meet me Eli?" Puck demanded as he sat down in the booth opposite the man who looked an almost mirror image of him just thirty years older. Looking closer though he could see the small signs of a life of excess, the dark bags, the bloodshot eyes, and the slight quiver as he reached for his coffee cup._

"_I wanted to see my son, that so surprising?"_

"_Seeing as the last time I saw you was a decade ago as you packed up your car and drove away from me, my sister and mom, and any responsibilities. Yes it is surprising that you want to see me suddenly"_

"_How have you been?" Eli asked his eyes darting around the diner they were sat in, studiously ignoring what his son had said._

"_Great, thanks for asking. That all?"_

"_Noah..."_

"_What? You want me to exonerate you of everything you did? You abandoned your family and lost any and all respect I had for you. I'm here because my fiancé thought it would be a good idea for me to face you. Now I have and I'm leaving unless you have actually got something important to say to me"_

"_Fiancée? You are 22!"_

"_Really? This is what you are jumping on? Not explaining why you left in the first place, or asking me why I'm in New York? No the thing you care about is that I have a fiancée at the age of 22. Yes I am engaged, to someone I have known for years, her name is Rachel and we are getting married next year"_

"_Wow married at 23" Eli whistled "that's not stupid at all"_

"_Thanks for that judgement" Puck drawled rolling his eyes before getting to his feet "I have to go pick up Nate anyway. Nice seeing you Eli"_

"_Nate?"_

"_My son"_

"_I thought you had a daughter? Not a son?"_

"_I'm not even going to pretend to know why you know that. But yes I have a son, non-biological but he is still my son in all the ways that matter. Thanks for this illuminating interest in my life. Now get back out of it. Please"_

"_I didn't think you would be as stupid as me" Eli lamented shaking his head at his son as he slipped out of the booth to walk away again "marrying at a young age, tying yourself to a women who already has a kid at the same age. At least you gave away your mistake! I'm not going to let you make this mistake Noah"_

"_You don't get a choice Eli" Puck snapped "keep your nose out of my business and out of my life" sneering at his poor excuse for a father Puck stormed from the diner._

"And as far as I was concerned that was the end of it" Puck shrugged "obviously he didn't think so and when the wedding was covered in the papers he must have seen it and decided to try and do what he threatened"

"Douche"

"Douche" Puck agreed with his friend "so you said that you started up proceedings with your firm?"

"Yeah Emma Stone, that's the family lawyer in my firm, has started up everything. The courts have mandated a mediation session first before we go to court"

"We?" Puck asked with a knowing arch to his eyebrow "thought you were concentrating on criminal law in your internship"

"I don't know, sounds like a good way to go really. Helping kids? My type of law really. Anyway the mediation session is booked for three weeks today and will be at my firm"

"And our chances of this making them fuck off?"

"Pretty good from what Emma told me"

"Then I am looking forward to it" Puck said with an evil grin and a waggle of his eyebrows.

Gleeeeeeeeeeeee

So it was three weeks later when the newlyweds entered the conference room at Stemson, Barnes and Partners. Holding Puck's hand tightly Rachel glared across the table at Finn and his mother before slipping into the chair indicated by Emma their lawyer and placed a hand on Pucks thigh as his arm snaked around her shoulders to stand united against those who would break up their family.

"Seeing as this is court order mediation we have a mediator here" Emma started as she swept into the room immediately commanding it as she took her executive chair and rolled forward placing her paper work on the table and waving in the general direction of the man who was sitting silently at the head of the table.

"My role is only to step in if the law is being abused" the man said stoically as he tapped his pen against the pad of paper in front of him "I want you to take this opportunity though to really try and resolve your differences"

"I'll start" Emma injected swiftly as the mediator finished "the fact of the matter is that this is a complete farce. We have started proceedings simply to stop your completely and utterly ridiculous threat of seeing the Puckerman's in court."

"It's not..." Finn interrupted

"Still talking Mr Hudson" Emma snapped "the fact is you have little to no chance of ever getting custody of Nathanial and you have been informed of this fact I am assuming by your own lawyer" she nodded to the man who nodded gravely.

"I have informed Mr Hudson and Mrs Hummel that they have little chance of gaining full custody like they want"

"Full Custody?" Rachel gasped "what!"

"I was under the impression that this was common knowledge" Mr Franks said hesitantly glancing at his clients "Mrs Hummel informed me that she wanted custody of her grandson"

"Not happening" Puck said flatly "and the fact that you even entertained that idea is hurtful and traitorous. You promised us that you didn't want to break up our family and now you are trying to take our son away from us?"

"On that note we would like to inject to the mediator and to Mr Franks, just to make sure he has all the facts" Emma added spitefully "Mr Puckerman has officially and legally adopted Nathanial Sam Berry, and a change of name petition was admitted and accepted by the courts two weeks ago" handing over the relevant paperwork and the copies to the mediator and Mr Franks. Rachel and Puck taking an inordinate amount of pleasure in Finn and Carole's face going white at the knowledge, they had known that Puck had adopted Nate not the change of name petition.

"The fact is that this is completely ridiculous. You are never going to get full custody and any petition to that effect will be laughed out the door of any court"

"Excuse me?" Finn demanded "I'm his biological father!"

"And as I am sure your lawyer has tried to explain to you many times, that doesn't give you automatic right to Nathanial. To be allowed into a child's life requires certain criteria to be met. Those criteria don't entail abandoning the child before birth, while ordering the mother of said child to get rid it of I might add, and also having nothing to do with the child before your mother orders it"

"But...I wasn't ready" Finn said quietly, only earning himself scathing looks from his opponents and Mr Franks.

"And that is yet another reason why even joint custody is beyond you" Emma jumped on it gleefully "how can we legitimately put a child at risk by allowing you to come into his life only to hurt him again one day? I won't allow it"

"Miss Stone an agreement can be reached" Mr Franks finally tried "perhaps visitation rights?"

"I won't let this child be put through hell and back by a father who isn't one hundred percent committed to be a good father to a child. Especially when he has a father and stable home already" Emma promised, knowing she was by far the better lawyer and if this was going to go to court she would win.

"Rachel" Carole said desperately leaning forward to try and show how earnest and truthful she was being "ok to ask for full custody was wrong, but please don't stop me having any contact with him"

"You have no right to ask me for anything" Rachel said quietly staring at Carole intently "I gave you a chance to be in Nate's life and you threw it back in my face. We want you out of lives for good. But..." she started glancing at Puck who nodded gravely at his wife

"We want this over as quickly as possible, with Rachel's pregnancy we don't need the stress a long drawn out court battle is going to entail" the married man took up the story.

"Rachel's pregnant?" Finn asked his eyes widening in shock, only to be ignored by everyone again.

"So we are willing to give Nate the choice, not any time soon. He is too young to fully comprehend the situation but we are willing to let him make his own choice when he is a teenager"

"And until then?" Carole asked glancing at her son and knowing that he would want to take her offer if it meant he would keep away from responsibilities for a little longer.

"Until then you stay away from Mr and Mrs Puckerman, and their family and friends Mrs Hummel. Because your stalking of the family would break this deal."

"I wasn't stalking them"

"Yes you were" Emma declared with conviction that broached no argument "you have one week to make your decision or we will see you in court, and you will lose all and any access to Nathanial Puckerman"


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N After this there is just an epilogue, with my dissertation due in five weeks I really need to concentrate on that rather than a multi-chapter sorry! Plus I don't want to drag this on unnecessarily.**

**But hey I updated quicker! And I will more than likely write a few one shots if I get some good prompts :D **

Nate 12

Breaking up the meeting after the Puckerman's offer the newlyweds returned to their eastside apartment while Finn took his mother back to his own across the river into New Jersey where he coached high school football.

"We need to talk about this Finn" Carole worried as Finn opened the door to his two bed single story house in Jersey City.

"Yes mom" Finn drawled again as he shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it over the back of his sofa, sighing as his mom automatically picked it up and hung it up on the cloak stand she had brought on one of her trips to see his son. "Hey Burt" he greeted his stepfather who grunted at him from the armchair and concentrated on the game on the big screen TV, accepting a kiss from his wife the male Hummel studiously ignored the conversation going on behind him wondering if it was too late to return to Lima and back to the safety of his garage.

"Finn, this is important!" Carole protested as Finn pulled a couple beers out of his fridge and handed one to Burt before twisting off the cap and taking a deep pull as he loosened the tie his mom had insisted he wear.

"Mom! I know it is ok?" Finn growled as he flopped down on the coach "and I'm thinking so could you maybe stop trying to force your own opinion on me and let me make my own mind up about my own son?"

"We only have a week to get a proper defence there is no need to think about anything"

"Yeah Mom, there is, there is thinking about their offer"

"You are actually thinking about it?" Carole asked in surprise "why?"

"Because it might be the best thing for Nate" Finn said slowly, slightly smarter than he had been in high school he realised that what his mom wanted might not be in the best interest of the son he abandoned.

Yes he would admit that he had a blind spot when it came to Rachel and when he had come back he had wanted her back as well, it was a mind state he hadn't been able to get rid of despite being out of high school for five almost six years now. It was had broken up him and Quinn more times than he could count in the last five years, Rachel hadn't had to be around for the blonde to feel threatened that he would run away to find her.

Falling into coaching after being harshly told that he would never get to the pros while at Boise he had accepted a job after his graduation that meant, at least in theory, that he was ten hours away from his mother, this of course had been shot to hell after the helpful telling of his mom about Nate and her subsequent desire to be in contact with him. Because other than some momentary pangs of regret over what he had done he had given little thought to the child he had left behind when he went off to college, because as douchy as it had been to do it, it would have been worse to leave the kid behind or make it feel unwanted as it grew up.

"How would it be best for him not to have his father?"

"What offer?" Burt suddenly interrupted muting the television

"Rachel and Puck have said that they are going to give Nate the choice to know me when he is older" Finn told his stepfather who had been very quiet about this whole situation for the last eight months, even with his wife travelling to New York a few times a month.

"So you leave them alone for the next ten years or so?" Burt checked as his wife huffed and sat down herself.

"Yeah, cos even before Puck adopted Nate he was his dad" Finn shrugged "course I'm surprised they even made that offer after we pissed them off with mom's request for full custody"

"Excuse me? Carole you wanted full custody?"

"Uh..." Carole avoided answering

"That is something we should have discussed first" Burt growled angrily

"We were never going to get it anyway" Finn admitted "and to be honest I wouldn't have wanted it"

"But Finn!"

"No mom, this is my decision not yours. I was not ready five years ago and as a 23 year old I'm not much readier. Not to mention Nate is not particularly ready to have me in his life either if you remember him kicking me in the ankle at the wedding"

"So you are just going to take them up on their offer and walk away after all this effort?"

"It was your effort mom, you wanted your grandson. But really he was never yours, just like he was never my son"

"WE could fight them, take them to court gain visitation rights"

"Drop it mom. We aren't winning this fight"

Gleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

"So I come with good news" Sam grinned as he joined them all late the Friday of the same week

"Well it's good news you finally turned up" Mike joked his arm around a blonde, Sarah, that he had met at work "now we can eat" he joked not seeing Tina watching him carefully as she stood on the opposite side of the room in Rachel and Puck's living room.

"Haha" Sam laughed sarcastically rolling his eyes "no I come bearing the news that...drum roll please" he ordered Artie and Mike doing as he ordered on the coffee table everyone looking at Sam in anticipation. "Finn Hudson is officially out of your life unless Nate wants to know him in ten years"

Grinning as Rachel threw herself at him in thanks Sam listened to others starts to talk excitedly, happy that their family was safe now.

"Thank you so much!" Rachel cried as she hugged him tight, before letting go so that Puck could shake hands with him.

"I didn't really do anything" Sam laughed "just knew a good lawyer"

"Still nice to know Nate has an uncle that will go to bat for him" Puck grinned

"Always" Sam shrugged dismissing the thanks, he would do anything for that little boy and he always would.

"Which actually leads us on to another announcement" Puck continued to the room at large snagging his wife around the waist and yanking her back to him "as my wife so publically told all of you, and ninety other guests, at the wedding, we are expecting another little one" he told them all with a proud smile as his hands came to rest on the still flat stomach of his wife "we have actually sneakily gone for our first ultrasound this week..."

Rachel still in his arms laughed at the murmurings and protestations of everyone that they hadn't been able to be there or knew about it.

"You better have a good reason for that!" Santana said with narrowed eyes at her best friend as she sat on Artie's lap "I said that I wanted to be there for that stuff with her second pregnancy"

"I'm sorry Satan, I thought just once me and Rachel could do a wife and husband thing with your permission" Puck laughed at the indignant Latina who had the grace to blush "anyway back to my story, we went for our first ultrasound and we would like to tell you all that you are going to have a little girl to spoil in about seven months"

"Oh my god!" squealed Mercedes and Brit rushing to hug them both as everyone crowded around to do the same even Sarah who Rachel and Puck had only met a few times doing the same as she offered her congratulations'.

"Mike can I have a word?" Puck asked nodding towards the kitchen as everything died down a bit around them.

"Rachel?" asked Tina at the same time her friend leading her into the bedroom to talk

"What's up?" Rachel asked as they perched on the bed "I'm assuming this has something to do with Sarah?"

"I lost him haven't I?" Tina asked sadly "he watches her like he used to watch me"

"I'm sorry Tina, but yes you have" Rachel said quietly "I didn't tell you about Sarah that last night before my wedding because I don't think you were ready to face it. When you said no to him you really broke him and Sarah makes him happy now"

"Oh" Tina said sadly

"I did want to ask you something though, but if it makes you uncomfortable with Mike I want you to think nothing of it"

"Ok?"

"Will you be this little one's godmother?" she asked pressing a hand to her stomach "Mike is being asked to be godfather though so if..."

"No! No I want to do it" Tina promised tears in her eyes at the honour of being asked "I would love to be her godmother"

"Dude are you serious?" Mike asked in the kitchen "of course I do! Even with Tina I want to be her godfather of course I do!"

"Awesome" Puck grinned knocking his beer against Mike's in agreement before they rejoined everyone.

"So no more Finn really?" Mike asked as they joined the other boys.

"No more Finn" Puck said with a grin and a sigh of relief "you know when he walked away all those years ago and I picked up the pieces I worried about what would happen when or if he came back. Out of all the outcomes I imagined, this is the best way it could have worked out"


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N Ok so I go a lot of stick for the whole only knowing the sex of the baby after nine weeks, so let me explain, I checked on the web and it said that nine weeks was the earliest and with the fact that Jewish couples have to go through genetic testing I just assumed that was then they would find out as well. Anyway sorry! Note to self never put pregnancy in a story again! As for the other review about not having a beta, I know I don't and I also know that my writing leaves much to be desired when it comes to punctuation and once again I apologise.**

**Anyway this is the last chapter of Nate and I'm going to avoid multi chapters for a while but I do have a few one shots that are unfinished so they will be up while I procrastinate from my dissertation :P Thank you for all the support as always :) and sorry it took so long.**

Epilogue

"Ade where is my soccer bag?" Nate screamed at his little sister as he dug through his closet desperately

"No idea" his little sister's cheeky reply came back from her room

"I know you had it last Adah Puckerman, where is it!" Nate demanded marching into his sister bedroom which was opposite his on the Upper East Side penthouse that the Puckerman family now lived in. They had lived in it since Rachel's career had expanded into the film industry and she had won herself an Oscar on her first role, for best supporting actress, her family going from slightly famous in New York to a globally famous one.

"I don't know where it is" Adah promised as he leaned against the doorway and glared at the nine year old brunette who was sitting on her bed in the middle of the pink explosion which was her room "maybe Eli has it?"

"If he doesn't I'm coming back for you!" the fifteen year old promised his little sister with a glare.

"No threatening your sister" Puck said idly as he wandered past his son emailing on his blackberry "and hurry up so I can take you to soccer"

"I'll stop threatening my siblings when they stop moving my stuff" Nate growled darkly his eyes narrowed as he swung into his little brothers room "soccer kit. Now!"

"Oh!" Eli squeaked the six year old running over to the corner and grabbing his brother's kit bag "sorry Nate"

"Do I even want to know why you have it?" Nate asked as he accepted the bag

"Mom found it in the middle of the hallway and started yelling, I moved it before you got grounded and couldn't play soccer"

"Oh. Cheers bud" Nate grinned feeling slightly guilty now "wanna come watch me play?"

"Is that your way of saying sorry?" Eli grinned cheekily "sure I'll come"

Winking at his brother Nate retreated to his room to change into his kit yelling down to his dad that he would be ready in five minutes.

"Sounds like he found his kit" Puck grinned at his wife who was fussing at her desk in their shared study.

"Shouldn't have left it in the middle of the hallway, he is just lucky that Eli worships him and made sure that the bag was moved" Rachel lectured with a smile at her husband who leaned over the table to press a kiss to her lips.

"Come with us" he murmured against her lips, pulling the script form her hands he dropped it on the table and eased her around it to pull his hot wife close to his body and pout at her "nice family thing to do"

"And the photographers?" Rachel asked pointedly

"Haven't gone away in the last six years, I don't think they are going to unless you stop doing films. Which knowing my wife isn't going to happen"

"I like doing films" Rachel shrugged "it's more challenging"

"Concentrate baby" Puck laughed "Nate's soccer match?"

"Oh of course I'll come watch it!" Rachel dismissed pecking him quickly "go and make sure that Eli and Adah have jackets though"

"It's warm"

"It's still March" Rachel reminded him with a pointed look "and on that note, Nate's birthday is coming up"

"Yeah I did know that" Puck deadpanned "you know being his father for almost sixteen years and all"

"Noah" Rachel said quietly looking at him sadly "it means we need to have that talk with him"

"Oh" Puck fell onto the chair "I forgot about that"

"It won't be so difficult, I mean he knows that Finn exists" Rachel tried to help coming to kneel at her husband's side as he stared into space "but we have made that deal and we need to keep to it"

"Not really" Puck growled sullenly "Finn couldn't take us to court anymore"

"He could for breach of contract" Rachel said patiently resting her hand on her cheek to make her look at him "we will deal with this together as always"

"And the plan a kickass sixteenth for him to say sorry"

"There will be nothing to say sorry for, but yes we can plan a great party for him and all his friends. Well actually I had already decided to do that and got Mercedes on planning it. What! She asked" Rachel defended as Puck raised an eyebrow at her "do you want me to book somewhere for our talk with Nate then?"

"Sure. But first we are going to go watch him and his posh private school beat another posh private school"

Laughing at his disdain for the private school they had enrolled their children in Rachel pressed a kiss to his lips and left the room to get everyone ready before calling a car to take them to the soccer field.

"So what we doing now?" Eli asked swinging between his two parents as the family walked towards the care after Nate had won the game.

"Well me and Dad are taking Nate to dinner and you and your sister are spending the night with Uncle Sam"

"Yay Uncle Sam!" Adah squealed happily hanging off her father's arm her and her brother starting to chatter about what they could do with their favourite uncle as Nate looked at his parents quizzically.

"Why the sudden dinner?"

"We'll explain later" Rachel smiled reassuringly at her son who nodded reluctantly as they reached the car, the clamouring of the paparazzi getting louder as they left the private property of the school fields.

After dropping off Adah and Eli at their favourite uncles house, Sam happy to take the break that the two would demand from the big case he was working on as he wanted to make partner at his law firm this year, the couple took their son to his favourite Thai restaurant.

"So what's going on" he demanded as the waitress walked away with their food order

"Do you remember our wedding? And the months leading up to it when you were spending time with someone you called 'grandma'?"

"Yeah I remember the sperm donor turning up and me kicking him in the ankle" Nate said nonchalantly grinning as his dad offered him a high five with the murmured 'sperm donor, nice'.

"Well there was a slight legal problem back then, Finn..."

"Sperm donor" Puck and Nate interrupted with a laugh that even Rachel joined in with a little as their food arrived

"So legal problems?" Nate prompted after they had dished out all the food and settled down to eat.

"They tried to take you from us" Puck said bluntly as he saw Rachel hesitate "and we had to get a lawyer and stop it"

"Fuckers"

"Nate language!" Rachel protested half-heartedly

"And we had to make a compromise" Puck continued "that when you old enough we would give you the option to know him if you wanted to"

"Oh" Nate drawled in surprise glancing between both of his parents his mom looking worried, his dad biting his lip and avoiding his look "so he wants to like me know me now?"

"We aren't sure" Rachel said honestly "we haven't spoken to him since. But we know that if you want to do this we will support you in any way we can"

"Dad?" Nate questioned with his own fear as his father still refused to look him in the eye

"I love you Bud, and if you need to do this I'll be okay with it" Puck managed to say at last "I've had you for almost sixteen years, guess its Hudson's turn"

"I wanna think about it first" Nate finally said as silence fell over the table "got a lot to think about"

"Anything you decide" Puck managed to choke out before they changed the conversation to the teenager's birthday and how he was doing in school.

Gleeeeeeeeeeeee

"Dad?" Nate questioned hesitantly much later that night as he entered the kitchen "what are you doing awake? It's 2am"

"Couldn't sleep" Puck grinned nursing a glass of milk "you?"

"Same" Nate shrugged pouring himself his own glass of milk and joining his dad "mind races every time I close my eyes"

"Same"

"You know that I'm always going to be a Puckerman right?" Nate checked hating the air of sadness that was hanging around his dad "even if I do see Sperm Donor it won't change that you are my dad. You should know this already. It's never been a secret that you aren't my biological father"

"One thing for you to know it, another for Hudson to be around. It's gonna be like him poaching in on my territory"

"I feel like that with Eli sometimes" Nate admitted

"What!"

"He's your real son" Nate said quietly looking down at his glass of milk

"You are my son as well. Don't ever think you mean less to me just because half your genes aren't mine. You are probably lucky that they aren't Puckerman genes aren't that great, it's probably one of the things I'm most thankful for that you kids are more your mom then me"

"What about Sperm Donor?"

"You got his height" Puck conceded "but not his stupidity and jerkiness. Nate I didn't lie at the restaurant I will support any decision you come to, but I won't pretend not to be jealous as well. I was there from the start, from the first ultrasound to your birth and first steps, Finn wasn't, he didn't want to be...sorry that wasn't fair...it's just that I...you're MY son"

"I know I am dad, that's not going to change but I feel like I have to know him...I want him...he's part of me"

"As long as I'm your dad, I think that I can handle Finn Hudson"

"And mom?"

"The thing about being parents is that you will do anything for your kids, even put up with asshole ex's"

Grinning quickly Nate downed his milk and quickly hugged his dad before ambling back to his room to finally sleep a restful sleep, content to go to school and wait for the meeting to be arranged with Finn through his Uncle Artie. Which it was for the day before his birthday, meeting his biological father at the same diner that Puck had meet Finn almost ten years ago.

"Nathanial" Finn jumped to his feet as Nate stopped at the booth table "hi"

"Mr Hudson" the teenager managed to say without a lot of malice before he sat down opposite his biological father "thanks for meeting me"

"No, no thank you for agreeing to meet me" Finn assured him taking his seat back "I've been thinking about this meeting for a long time. Was kind of handy when Rachel got famous like she did I saw you grow up through magazine pictures"

"Just think if you hadn't been a dick sixteen years ago you could have seen me grow up anyway" Nate snapped "sorry" he muttered quickly as Finn blanched

"I deserve it" Finn agreed with a shrug "I was a petrified 18 year old who should have been a man and stepped up but I didn't"

"Got to admit kind of glad you didn't, I have a dad. I want to make that clear from the start. I'm not looking for a replacement dad because that is Noah Puckerman, and I am Nathanial Puckerman, that will never change"

"Can't say that I love that" Finn admitted "but I can understand it. Even if I had stayed around those two would have ended up together, there was always something between Puck and Rachel during high school. As much as I probably didn't want to admit it"

"Soul mates"

"Pretty much. So you have a brother and sister right?"

Knowing that Finn was trying to get to know him more than magazine articles and pictures had told him over the last decade Nate gave the hovering waitress his order and settled down to talk to him.

"Yeah Eli and Adah..."

Over the next few hours they drank multiple cups of coffee and polished off stacks of pancakes as they talked about everything. Nate told Finn about his sports in school and his grades and his own group of friends that he hoped would turn into the same group that his mom and dad enjoyed. Finn told his son about his job in New Jersey coaching High School football and the group of friends that he had over the state line and that he was still in contact with Quinn.

"Wow, mom always said that you are kind of whipped by Quinn" Nate laughed, only to laugh harder as Finn blushed and looked away guiltily.

"What about you? Heartbreaker?"

"I was raised by my dad" Nate said cockily throwing his arms out along the booth "but my mom keeps me in check"

"Typical Rachel then" Finn laughed "good balance for you though I guess"

"Yeah, well I got great parents"

"No doubt, you seem like a good one, I mean well raised"

"I am" Nate said the air between them suddenly tense as they realised that their conversation was over "so..."

"I don't want this to be it. But I can understand that this is awkward for you" Finn attempted to start "but I want to see you again, you may not see yourself as my son but I do. I should have been there and I will never make it up to you or your mom but I want to at least know what's going on from now on"

"Sure, I mean we can exchange numbers and maybe talk now and then" Nate agreed awkwardly "and you should come to my birthday party tomorrow"

"Really?"

"Yeah it's at Party Loft in Midtown with about 300 guests, it should be really good"

"I'll be there" Finn promised quickly "as long as it won't annoy anyone"

"Benefit of being the birthday boy" Nate grinned before saying goodbye to Finn and going home and telling his parents

"You two are my parents and I love you, as much as you sometimes annoy me I might add, so please don't be angry with me" Nate begged as he sat them down in the kitchen "the invitation just sort of slipped out"

"If you want him there he can be there" Rachel said as slowly and evenly as she could her hand twisted in her husband's under the table "anything for you"

"He is still Sperm Donor. He's not Dad" Nate reiterated "I just want to try and know him"

"Anything for you Nate" Puck promised again "always"


End file.
